Serum miR-192-5p levels predict the efficacy of pegylated interferon therapy for chronic hepatitis B

PLoS One. 2022 Feb 14;17(2):e0263844. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0263844. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

We examined the association between serum miRNA (-192-5p, -122-3p, -320a and -6126-5p) levels and the efficacy of pegylated interferon (Peg-IFN) monotherapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) patients. We enrolled 61 CHB patients treated with Peg-IFNα-2a weekly for 48 weeks, of whom 12 had a virological response (VR) and 49 did not VR (non-VR). A VR was defined as HBV DNA < 2,000 IU/ml, hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-negative, and nucleos(t)ide analogue free at 48 weeks after the end of treatment. The non-VR group showed a significantly higher HBeAg-positivity rate, ALT, HBV DNA, and serum miR-192-5p levels at baseline (P = 0.024, P = 0.020, P = 0.007, P = 0.021, respectively). Serum miR-192-5p levels at 24-weeks after the start of treatment were also significantly higher in the non-VR than the VR group (P = 0.011). Multivariate logistic regression analysis for predicting VR showed that miR-192-5p level at baseline was an independent factor (Odds 4.5, P = 0.041). Serum miR-192-5p levels were significantly correlated with the levels of HBV DNA, hepatitis B core-related antigen, and hepatitis B surface antigen (r = 0.484, 0.384 and 0.759, respectively). The serum miR-192-5p level was useful as a biomarker for the therapeutic efficacy of Peg-IFN in CHB treatment.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antiviral Agents / pharmacology
  • Antiviral Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Biomarkers / blood
  • Case-Control Studies
  • DNA, Viral / drug effects
  • DNA, Viral / genetics
  • Female
  • Gene Expression Regulation / drug effects
  • Hepatitis B virus / drug effects
  • Hepatitis B virus / genetics
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / drug therapy*
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / genetics
  • Hepatitis B, Chronic / virology
  • Humans
  • Interferon-alpha / therapeutic use*
  • Male
  • MicroRNAs / blood*
  • Middle Aged
  • Polyethylene Glycols / therapeutic use*
  • Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
  • Regression Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Viral Load / drug effects

Substances

  • Antiviral Agents
  • Biomarkers
  • DNA, Viral
  • Interferon-alpha
  • MIRN192 microRNA, human
  • MicroRNAs
  • Recombinant Proteins
  • Polyethylene Glycols
  • peginterferon alfa-2a

Grants and funding

Y.T was supported by a grant-in-aid from the Research Program on Hepatitis from the Japan Agency for Medical Research and Development (AMED JP20fk0310101, JP21fk0310101). URL:https://www.amed.go.jp/ The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.